‘Please pray for Myanmar’

West Tamar Parish administrator Fr Martin Aye Ngwe is deeply troubled by the political turmoil and health crisis unfolding in his homeland of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

He has echoed a simple plea from Myanmar’s Catholic bishops: ‘Please pray for Myanmar.’

Vatican News has reported that along with political, socio-economic, human rights and humanitarian crises following a military coup earlier this year, the South-East Asian country is also suffering from a devastating third wave of Covid-19.

Fr Martin, who has been based at Riverside, in Northern Tasmania for eight years, has watched with despair as recent events have unfolded.

“We now see genocide, ethnic cleansing, and looting all around in Burma,” Fr Martin said.

“There is no justice, as innocent people are abused, tortured, or killed on a daily basis. More than 900 people have been shot dead [since the latest coup]. 

“The oppressed have no one to help them, and the rest of the world seems unwilling and unable to help.”

Fr Martin said he had found it hard to eat, sleep and pray since the coup on February 1. The devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic has been another blow, with a desperate shortage of health workers and oxygen supplies.

“There is no one to look after people in hospital in the pandemic,” Fr Martin said. “Medicines are not available and the military control the oxygen – they do not distribute it freely – so the military use COVID-19 as weapon.

“Meanwhile, the dead are being cremated with the garbage.”

Fr Martin was shocked and saddened at the death due to COVID-19 of Bishop John Hsane Hgyi, 68, from the Pathein Diocese in the south-west of Myanmar. Fr Martin had known the bishop for much of his life, first as an altar boy and later as a priest in the bishop’s diocese.

“This is heartbreaking for me,” Fr Martin added.

Fr Martin has made a simple request to all Catholics in Tasmania: “Keep Burma [Myanmar] in your prayers. Please pray for peace and for a return to democracy in the hands of the people.”

Main image: West Tamar Parish administrator Fr Martin Aye Ngwe is asking Tasmanians to keep Myanmar in their prayers.